希望能以自身的親身使用經驗來分享每一款3C產品在競爭激烈的市場上，扮演著什麼樣的定位，以設計、用料以及優缺點等各項環節分享，提供網友或消費者在選購前更精準的產品分析。
In current tough competitive market, you should know the product position, design concepts, components usage, pros and cons before you buy it. I would like to share my own experience to help you before making right decisions.

星期二, 4月 13, 2010

Every year I always spend some time to write an article about mainstream PC platform recommendation for choosing the high C/P value mainstream products.Users can pay less get more performance products.AMD stuck in 65nm for couple year and not much progress.It caused two main weaknesses for Phenom X4 CPU, high power consumption and over heat.That’s why I didn’t write too many reviews with AMD platform.

Since 2009, AMD launched 45nm CPU and still keep in parity.After then, AMD announced a series X2/X3/X4 CPU, and also can enable cores and L3 cache.It makes AMD ramp up the market share in 2nd half 2009. Of course, the parity motherboard is also the key factor.Especially the economy crisis in 2009, the users lower their cost in many consumer products.

AMD CPU highest C/P one is Athlon II X3 425/435, the price is around 66~75 USD.This CPU may enable quad cores by MB south bridge.However, please be aware that it’s not 100%. If it’s unstable, please back to the tri-core to operate.Another model is Athlon II X4 620/630, the price is around 93~107 USD.The main difference with Phenom II X4 is no L3 cache. It also has opportunity to enable it to be complete Phenom II X4.This time I use Phenom II X2 545 for quad core test. You cannot find this model in the market already.

Besides, I use Micro-ATX MB which is AMD main segment in few years.AMD uses their leading UMA performance and lower price to compete with the other chipset provides.This article introduces three 785G MB to enable Phenom/Athlon II being X4 and OC performance.

First model is DFI LANPARTY BI 785G-M35The market price is about 108USD.

IO comparison from up to down are GIGABYTE-DFI-BIOSTARYou can see GIGABYTE has eSATA and 1394DFI has complete S/PDIF fiber and coaxial output

Three 785G models all have different advantages. No matter they are good components, better spec or lower price.User can choose by budget, brand, after service and personal like. In picking MB, there is no better or worse at all.

BIOS will be more focus in OC setup. The below setups are 785G running at 300MHz below.

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H BIOS screen

It also supports enable core 3 only option. If your CPU cannot be stable in quad core, you can back to try 3 cores as well.

Built-in HD4200 default clock Core/Memory is 500/1066

DFI LANPARTY BI 785G-M35 BIOS screen

Third one is BIOSTAR TA785G3 HDThe price is around 80USD, the cheapest in these 3 models. It’s also the only one without solid capacitor design.

IO comparison from up to down are GIGABYTE-DFI-BIOSTARYou can see GIGABYTE has eSATA and 1394DFI has complete S/PDIF fiber and coaxial output

Three 785G models all have different advantages. No matter they are good components, better spec or lower price.User can choose by budget, brand, after service and personal like. In picking MB, there is no better or worse at all.

BIOS will be more focus in OC setup. The below setups are 785G running at 300MHz below.

GIGABYTE GA-MA785GPMT-UD2H BIOS screen

It also supports enable core 3 only option. If your CPU cannot be stable in quad core, you can back to try 3 cores as well.

You can see DDR3 bandwidth are some different in CL8 and CL7Besides, AMD CPU built-in memory controller hasn’t improved for years, which are why DRAM bandwidth is still far behind Intel platform.If you use 790FX chipset, DDR3 bandwidth will be higher 500~1000 MB/s. 790FX can set this memory set in CL6.More high-end AMD chipset also improves more DDR3 bandwidth.

CrystalMark 2004R3 and PCMark Vantage scores have big difference.The main reason is these 3 models HD 4200 default clock are different.The other benchmark scores are similar. We can treat the small drop as allowable error.

Built-in VGA HD 4200 performance, because DFI default clock is 700MHz, it causes 3D performance is higher. But the DRAM BIOS is only 1333.GIGABYTE has VGA DRAM option to 1600. It also enhance the 3D performance.BIOSTAR can OC core to 820MHz. It’s the highest one in these 3 models.Even though, I think they all use same 785G chipset and also some drop in different chipset lot. So you can treat they are same level in performance.

AMD platform power consumption in X2 and X4 are same as standby condition.After enable X4 CPU and pull clock to 3.75GHz full speed, it is 51W more than X2.Using quad core CPU will be more power consumption. However, it’s still acceptable.

The CPU OC ability is almost same for these 3 models.BIOS options are very rich to let users can tune up the performance.Besides enable X4, they all provide enable X3 option. It makes X2 CPU tunes up easily.These three 785G has their own advantages. GIAGBYTE has full features, DFI has better heat design and BIOSTAR non-solid capacitor design makes it be cheaper.Also they all have different lack points, so I think it’s unfair to pick up any one be the best choice.

For choosing AMD CPU, I think the best C/P is Athlon II X4 620.X4 620 can enable L3 cache to increase the performance.Athlon II X3 425 is cheaper and also has L3 cache. However, if you are unlucky, the 4th core cannot be enabled, 425 L3 performance is lower than 620 with quad core.Not all Athlon II X2/X3/X4 CPU can guarantee to be able to enable L3 or X4.So when you buy AMD CPU, I suggest you can choose X4 620.

Of course there are more brands in the market for you to choose. This article bases on my personal configuration to make the OC and Performance reference guide.

You can choose your own best one by budget, requirement and brands.

The test above is just for the users who have same budget or requirement as me to refer.

Finally, wish all of you can build up your highest C/P and best matched quad core PC in 2010.

Windwithme wish you all the best in 2010. Thanks. :)

This is my latest toy.12/17 2009, Sony launched the very popular game FF13 and PS3 combo limited edition.Recalling my memory, I haven’t been playing game for long time. My PS2 is under dust over 4 years.Only this AMD OC guide takes me 4 weeks to face some unstable and tuning performance.I always reinstall OS, fine tune BIOS and repeat run the benchmark software.This article really takes time to get it done.I wish I could have time to play games in 2010. I think it should be good for leisure time.